Two jury trials involving criminal cases were conducted in the January Pottawatomie County jury term and both juries returned guilty verdicts.
There were also multiple juvenile cases tried as well. The two criminal cases conducted were the State of Oklahoma v. Linny Stallin, CF-24-106, before District Judge John Canavan, and the State of Oklahoma v. Matthew Ewing, CF-2429, before Associate District Judge Tracy McDaniel.
Stallin was facing trial on two counts of Robbery in the First Degree filed by District Attorney Adam Panter on April 9, 2024. The robbery allegations stemmed from two separate violent attacks at the Shawnee Post Office in February and March of 2024. Stallin’s jury trial began on Jan. 13 and ended on Jan. 15.
The jury found Stallin guilty of both Robbery in the First Degree counts and recommended a sentence of Life in prison on each count. Formal sentencing is scheduled for March 12, 2025. First Assistant District Attorney Adam Kallsnick and Assistant District Attorney Alison Sells prosecuted the case on behalf of the State, while OIDS attorney Kim Miller represented the Defendant. The case was investigated by the Shawnee Police Department.
Pottawatomie and Lincoln County District Attorney Adam Panter said, “Linny Stallin is a violent criminal who will no longer be able to victimize the citizens of this State any longer. I anticipate that he will spend the rest of his life behind bars. His criminal history is lengthy, stretching back more than 30 years. His last convictions were also for robberies which occurred in Shawnee and Okemah in 2013. In those cases, he was given 20-year sentences, which he should have still been serving at the time he committed these new offenses.
“Stallin’s violent behavior has no place in our society, and persons thinking about committing similar offenses should take note that we will show no mercy for these kinds of acts. My office is committed to the public’s safety. I appreciate all of the hard work of the Shawnee Police Department in their efforts to solve these crimes, and the diligence of the jury in performing their civic duty,” Panter noted.
“I would further add that while we were able to obtain justice for the victims of Mr. Stallin, I am disappointed that Stallin was out of prison in the first place. His crimes were completely avoidable. Had Stallin not been released from prison before he completed his last sentence, these robberies would not have occurred. I also have an ongoing concern that the police investigation was initially hampered by the lack of working surveillance cameras in the Shawnee Post Office.
“Had the cameras been working during the first robbery, I believe that Stallin could have been apprehended much sooner, potentially preventing the next attack. What is even more concerning is despite awareness of this problem, the surveillance cameras were not fixed or replaced after the first robbery, leading to no available video recording of the second robbery. I believe that the United States Postal Service should demonstrate more concern for the safety of their patrons and employees,” said Panter.
Matthew Ewing was facing trial on multiple allegations of sexually abusing several children filed by Panter on Jan. 25, 2024. Specifically, he was facing two counts of Rape in the First Degree, two counts of Forcible Oral Sodomy, and four counts of Lewd or Indecent Acts to a Child Under 16. The jury trial began on Jan. 13, and concluded on Jan. 16, 2025, with the jury returning guilty verdicts on five of the eight counts. On the five guilty counts, the jury recommended three sentences of Life in prison and two sentences of 20 years in prison.
Formal sentencing is set for Feb. 24, 2025. Assistant District Attorney Lori McConnell prosecuted the case on behalf of the State. OIDS attorneys Shelly Levisay and William Pierce represented the Defendant. The case was investigated by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office.
“While I am not going to comment on the specifics of Mr. Ewing’s horrific crimes due to the sensitive nature of his offenses, Panter stated, “I will say that I am beyond proud and grateful for the courage displayed by the children when testifying against their abuser. I believe that people who hurt, exploit, or abuse children are irredeemable, and not deserving of anything but the harshest punishment. Therefore, I am encouraged that the jury recognized the severity of Mr. Ewing’s crimes and recommended a just result, ensuring that Ewing never tastes freedom again.
“I hope that this result gives notice of what will happen to those in our communities committing similar acts,” Panter said.